Control valve



July 27, 1954' w. M. GROSVENOR, JR., ETAL 2,684,686

CONTROL VALVE Filed oct. 11, 1949 K 5 R Rx: N m a M MD WMOE. H mmmru G H M Mm Wa w,

Patented July 27, 1954 UNITED STATES ENT OFFICE CONTROL VALVE Application October 11, 1949, Serial No. 120,772

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a water level control valve and particularly to a control valve arranged to shut off the fiow of water to a receptacle when the water therein reaches a predetermined height.

The problem of maintaining fiuid or water level in a receptacle is encountered in many places. One of these is where a pan of water is placed in a hot air heating duct or adjacent a hot air type furnace so that the air passing over the receptacle will evaporate the water and maintain the humidity therein. It is evident, however, that there are many other fluid level control problems.

In the control of the level of water in a receptacle such as in the aforementioned humidifying pan, it is desirable to provide a control valve which has a minimum number of parts and which will be simple and economical to maintain in operating condition. In the past, various level control arrangements have been employed, such as valves controlled by floats and similar operating mechanisms. In these, the fioats have been troublesome as well as the mechanical connections involved.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved water level control valve and system wherein a simple inexpensive valve arrangement is used which is substantially iool proof.

In one aspect of the invention, a valve arrangement is provided which has the fluid supply source connected thereto, the valve and its operator being placed in a liquid receptacle or connected therewith in some suitable manner. The valve arrangement is provided with an inlet and a valve member operable to close off the inlet pipe when the liquid level reaches a predetermined height. The valve operator comprises a fibrous body connected with the valve so as to close the same when the desired liquid level is reached. The fibrous body preferably is made of fibers capable upon wetting with water or the like, of swelling a major amount when unconfined. It is desirable that the swellingshould be reasonably rapid so that when confronted with water, it will swell and operate the valve to close the inlet passage to the receptacle.

In another aspect of the invention, a fiber can be employed, such as one of cellulose normally used in the manufacture of paper or paper board, and which has not been subsequently treated so as to reduce the swelling characteristics thereof, such as by vulcanizing. Such a fiber will be termed herein as an untreated cellulose fiber.

Normally, the fiber is made from wood pulp. A kraft process fiber is one example of such a fiber having unreduced swelling characteristics. The body and fibers preferably are chosen so as to have at least a predetermined real volume in relation to the active or actual space occupied by the fibrous body and to have a predetermined swell rate when unconfined. The term active space means the actual space occupied by the fibrous body after once wet. Swell rate may be defined as the percentage increase in thick ness of the normally dry fibrous body per specified unit of time.

The opposite outer faces of the fibrous body may be located between a stationary surface and a movable valveoperator. When the fibrous body becomes wet, it will absorb only enough Water to create sufficient pressure to prevent further passage of water into the receptacle. This is because the fibrous body will swell and close the pores thereof to prevent more water being absorbed. In a preferred form, thefibers of the fibrous body are substantially randomly oriented in substantially parallel layers. The fibrous body may consist of one unit or may consist of a plurality of layers.

In a further aspect of the invention, a wood fiber which has had some subsequent chemical and/or physical treatment can be employed if it has a substantially rapid swell rate.

Another problem involved in providing a satisfactory level control valve, particularly where waters are involved having depositable salts therein, is the deposit of salt on the parts so as to provide a path for the transfer of water from the liquid level to the fibrous body by capillary or wick action. When this occurs, the water may fall a considerable distance before the valve opens, thus resulting in an undesirable operational lag.

A further object of the invention is to provide a level control valve which will not be affected by salt deposits.

In one aspect of the invention, the problem of salt deposit is solved by providing a means for feeding fresh water to the valve and over the fibrous body so as to wash out or prevent salt deposits. t also is arranged so that the water in the receptacle does not reach the fibrous body in any significant amount, if at all. This can be accomplished by a skirt formed around the upper part of the valve surrounding the fibrous body.

A further manner in which salt deposits may be controlled is by the use of a protecting skirt for trapping air underneath so as to prevent the water reaching a portion of the valve body supporting the fibrous body so that salt cannot be deposited on this portion.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following examples and drawings which are merely exemplary.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a sectional side view of a valve showing one form of the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of another form of the invention.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary View partially in section showing one manner in which the valve can be used.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modified form of the invention.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of a still further form of the invention.

Figure 6 is a reduced fragmentary front view of the device of Figure 1 shown in conjunction with a receptacle.

Valve body M (Fig. 1) may have a passage I l connectable with the source of liquid to be furnished to the receptacle or pan in which a predetermined level is to be maintained. The body I may have a screw-threaded portion 12 which can serve as the connecting means for the fluid inlet pipe. The valve body IE] may have a yoke arrangement extending above the main portion 58 of the valve body. An inlet valve seat l3 cooperates with valve disc M for controlling admission of liquid. Plug l may be-screw-threadedly engaged in the upper portion it of yoke 20. Valve disc holder i? can have an annular recess E8 in which is placed the valve disc M. The recess also serves to guide the valve disc relative to the valve seat by cooperation with the projection HA. Guide pin l9 can be inserted into an aperture '20 in the holder [1, the upper end of pin 19 being reciprocable in aperture 2i of cap l5.

A stack of fibrous discs or fibrous body 22 is located between face 23 of cap and face 24 of guide holder l1, there being an aperture 22A in said fibrous body.

The fibrous body 22 preferably is made from a kraft process fiber although other similar fibers can be used. One type of such a satisfactory fibrous body is made from a fiber material well cooked and beaten and the paper board made on a wet machine. Preferably the fibers are arranged in parallel layers and the layers preferably have fibers randomly oriented.

Fibrous bodies found to be satisfactory may have apparent densities of from 0.80 to 1.40 and an initial swell rate for the first minute of more than when exposed to water and when the body is unrestrained. As one example, the initial swell rate can be 20% for the first minute and the body can swell 70% in five minutes, such a fiber being a kraft process fiber manufactured as described previously.

The swell rate is not necessarily a straight line relationship but should be rapid or quick during the first minute. The particular swell rate of the fibrous body also is related to the real volume of the fibers. Another example of a satisfactory fiber is a wood fiber having some chemical treatment, such a fibrous body having a swell rate of 5% in the first minute and 21% in five minutes.

The real volume of the fibrous body preferably should be a predetermined ratio of the active space of the fibrous body. A satisfactory ratio 4 exists if the real volume of the body is at least 50% of the volume of the active space.

The valve shown in Figure 1 may be placed in a receptacle 66 (Fig. 6) or pan to be controlled and inlet passage ll connected to the source of liquid by pipe 61. When the water reaches the predetermined level 68 and the fibrous body 22, the body will expand and cause movement of holder IT and disc M to close off valve seat 13. Thus, the simple valve arrangement illustrated will control the flow of liquid into the receptacle so as to control its liquid level.

In the event the water contains salt or material which may be deposited on the parts and serve as a path, capillary or otherwise, to conduct liquid in the receptacle to the fibrous body, the structure illustrated in Fig. 2 may be employed.

The structure includes valve body 25 having an inlet aperture 26 and valve seat 21 which is closable by valve disc 28, valve disc 28 being carried by holder or plunger 29. Valve body 25 may have cup 30 positioned on ledge or shoulder 3|. The upper end of the valve body 25 may have a cap 32 screw-threadedly engaged therewith, said cap 32 having a downwardly extending projection 33 extending into cavity 34 and into aperture 34A of the fibrous body 343. Valve body 25 may have apertures 35 therein connecting cavity 34 with the interior of cup 30. Valve plunger 29 may have radial passages 36 connected with longitudinally extending passage 31. Radially extending apertures 38 are cut in the bottom of cavity 39, said apertures communicating with the a receptacle to which liquid is to be supplied. A

suitable rubber O-ring 40 or other packing can be provided in a recess in plunger 29.

Valve 43 may be mounted in a receptacle 41 (Fig. 3) wherein water or other liquid is to be maintained at a level 42. A valve is illustrated at 43, similar to that just described, cup 30 protecting the upper portion of the valve and fibrous body from the water directly in the receptacle itself.

As an example of one use of the invention, re ceptacle 4i may be located in a heating duct 4 3 through which air passes taking up moisture from the water in order to properly humidify the air. When the water level is such that the fibrous body 45 dries, pressure on valve disc 28 will be released and will allow water to pass through aperture 26 into cavity 39, and the water will flow into the receptacle 4| through openings 38 (Figs. 2, 3). As the level in receptacle 4| rises, the level in passages 36 and 31 also rises until the fibrous body 45 is rewet. This causes the body to swell and close the valve. Since the water which flows up passages 36 and 31 has a minimum content of dissolved salts as little salt as is possible is transferred to the fibrous body. The water also will flow upwardly through passages 36 and ill to the fibrous body 45 until the level in the cup is such as to cause the valve to shut olf the supply of water to the receptacle. The water in the cup will be the same as or will be related properly to the level in the receptacle 4| so as to control the height therein. The fibrous body 45 may be similar to that discussed for the form described in Fig. 1.

A further modification of the form illustrated in Fig. 2 is seen in Fig. 5 wherein cap 46 can be made of plastic and can have radial flutes 0r troughs ll cut in the underside of the cap so as to prevent air binding, said cuts extending inwardly so as to connect cavity 48A with cavity 483.

Fibrous body 48 serves to actuate plunger 49 upon coming into contact with water so as to move valve disc 50 onto valve seat 5|, thus cutting ofi" inlet 52. The apertures 53 in valve body 54 are made considerably smaller than apertures 35 illustrated in Fig. 2. Passages 56 and 51 are shown considerably larger than the corresponding passages in Fig. 2, so as to facilitate the flow of water to the cup 58. Apertures 66 similar to apertures 38 of Fig, 2 are provided; The cap 32 of Fig. 2 also can have radial flutes therein.

A still further form of the invention which can be applied to the structure of Fig. 1 is illustrated in Fig. 4, wherein fibrous body 59 is mounted on valve guide 60 with a plastic or other suitable material apron 6| therebetween. The apron may be a truncated cone or other shape suitable for trapping air. Valve disc 62 cooperates with valve seat 63 to control flow of water through passageway 64 as water rises upwardly in the receptacle and reaches the fibrous body 59. As the water rises, air will be trapped under the apron Bl so that liquid will not reach the guide under the apron and then no salt or other substance'will be deposited therein. The apron 6| thus will serve to interrupt any deposit of salt on the guide so that there will be no connecting path to carry water to the fibrous body 59 from the reduced diameter portion of guide 60 below the apron 6! by capillary action. I

The controller preferably is located within the receptacle but could be arranged so that the liquid level is transmitted to the fibrous body by outside connections.

The valve arrangement can be used for numerous level controlling purposes. Details of construction, of course, can be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention except as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid level control apparatus comprising a valve body having aninlet passage therein, a valve seat, a closure member reciprocable in said body, a fibrous body connected to said closure member, an abutment for said fibrous body, said fibrous body being expandable between said abutment and closure member to move said closure member to valve closing position when the fibrous body becomes wet, and passage means in said closure member leading inlet liquid only to said fibrous body.

2. A liquid level control apparatus connected in the liquid supply means for a liquid reservoir, a controller body having an inlet passage terminating adjacent a valve seat in a cavity in said body, a chamber, a reciprocable valve plunger cooperable with said seat, said plunger having passage means therein connecting said cavity and chamber, an abutment in said chamber, a fibrous body connected with said abutment and plunger and expandable when wet to move said plunger to valve closing position, and an outlet means in said cavity for supplying liquid when the valve is open, said inlet liquid reaching said fibrous bodythrough said passage means.

3. A liquid level control apparatus connected in the liquid supply means for a liquid reservoir, a controller body having an inlet passage terminating adjacent a valve seat in a cavity in said body, a cup surrounding a portion of said valve and forming a chamber, a reciprocable valve plunger cooperable with said seat, said plunger having passage means therein connecting said cavity and chamber, an abutment in said chamber, a fibrous body connected with said abutment and plunger and expandable when wet to move said plunger to valve closing position, and an outlet means in said cavity for supplying liquid when the valve is open, said inlet liquid reaching said fibrous body through said passage means.

4. In a liquid level apparatus having a liquid flow control valve in the supply means for a reservoir, the combination including a valve means, a controller body having a cavity therein with an abutment, said abutment having radial grooves radiating from a central point, a fibrous body in said cavity, said body having a central aperture located adjacent said central point, said body being extendable between said abutment and valve means, and means connecting said liquid reservoir to said fibrous body so that said fibrous body will contact liquid when said liquid has reached a predetermined level in said reservoir, contact of said fibrous body with liquid expanding the body and closing the valve by exerting a force relative to said abutment and valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 889,339 Schafier June 2, 1908 1,162,170 Johnson Nov. 30, 1915 1,212,574 Shipp Jan. 16, 1917 1,261,078 Wardell Apr. 2, 1918 1,575,247 Anderson Mar. 2, 1926 2,153,726 Scoppola Apr. 11, 1939 2,361,251 Weeks Oct. 24, 1944 

